Daddy Cool
by NeverMineToHold
Summary: Tron has to face his greatest nightmare - babysitting!


Title: "Daddy Cool"

Status: OneShot; Complete

Fandom: Tron: Legacy

Characters: little!Sam, Tron, CLU, Flynn

Disclaimer: The big mouse owns half the world, both Tron movies included.

Rating: T

Beta: All mistakes are mine at the moment. Anyone offering to remedy that?

Note: This was written for the tronkinkmeme. Prompt: "So, let's say Flynn takes kiddy!Sam to see The Grid before the events of Tron: Legacy. I can imagine him loving Tron because he looks like Uncle Alan while also adoring Clu 'cause he looks like daddy."

Summary: Tron is faced with his greatest horror - babysitting!

Daddy Cool

"Please calm down!"

Tron had faced the MCP, vicious viruses and whole colonies of gridbugs, but right now he felt helpless and ready to admit defeat. That he could not handle a single child rankled more than the security program cared to admit.

He bounced little Sam on his knee again, controlling the motion carefully, but the child only cried harder. His round face turned red and puffy with fresh tears. Baby blue eyes stared up at Tron in wordless accusation and Sam drew another deep breath. The program could only marvel at the lung capacity of a two year old child.

"Bwäh wääääh!"

Sam's tiny fists struck at the program that held him, hitting delicate circuits with the expert precision only a guileless child could manage. Tron held back a wince.

"Waaaaah!"

"Sammy, please be a good boy and stop crying!"

Miraculously, the noise stopped and Sam blinked up at Tron innocently – only to hiccup once and start anew.

"Wah!"

'Why me?' Tron asked himself miserably.

But of course, he knew the answer: because Flynn had asked him. To babysit. Which was the only reason why he had stayed put, rather than fled with the other programs. As soon as the wailing had started the curious conscripts had decided that a small User was not always 'cute' and something you wanted to be near.

The approaching roar of a Light Cycle had the security program perk up in hopeful expectation. A soon crushed notion as the bike turned the corner and he saw that it was only CLU, who was back from his inspection.

With the vehicle derezzed, CLU just stood there for a moment. Tron stiffened, feeling him staring at the unfolding drama even through the dark visor. Then the obstacle shifted away only to reveal a smirk.

"You look ready for vacation, man," CLU said matter-of-fact. "Or maybe a Light Disc, to put you out of your misery."

Tron scowled and winced as Sam's voice reached new heights but said nothing. Instead, he waited patiently for the system administrator to make a fatal mistake – like coming closer. Which CLU conveniently did.

Moving as fast as he would in any Disc War battle, Tron rushed forward and dumped the little boy in CLU's arms, which the startled program had raised automatically. Now that someone else's ears were wailed into, Tron congratulated himself on his quick processing.

There was only one flaw in that scenario: dead silence reigned over the intersection.

Sam sniffled a bit but was otherwise still in CLU's arms. He looked intently at the new face close to his own, his eyes and nose scrunched up in concentration – it looked adorable, with his blond tufts sticking every which way.

"Of course," Tron muttered. "He must mistake you for Flynn."

In that moment, a huge grin split Sam's face and he bounced a bit up and down in CLU's secure hold, before he threw his hands in the air and shouted: "CLU!"

"That's right, kiddo," the administrative program praised. Glancing at Tron with a smug grin, he started to adjust his grip, so that one of his hands was freed to smooth the child's hair down.

"Cuwww," Sam yawned.

He went limp under the warm hand petting him, until his head rested on CLU's broad shoulder. He looked quite content.

"How do you do that? He was crying non-stop with me."

Tron came closer but ended up stepping back in a hurry, faced as he was with a sleepy glare.

"Does what?" Unnoticed by both programs, Flynn had come back. He didn't wait for an answer. "See, Tron? I told you that there wouldn't be any problem with Sammy."

Tron's circuitry flashed purple with embarrassment (and quite a bit of unbecoming panic). He glanced at CLU.

"Right. 'Smooth sailing', just as you said, Flynn."

"Of course," CLU agreed mildly, taking pity on his friend.

"Great guys! Then it's time to get sleepyhead here home."

Flynn reached for his son, but as soon as the transfer from one pair of arms to another was delicately handled, Sam startled awake.

"Wääääh!"

Five minutes, twice as many (mumbled) curses and one cracking up Tron later, Sam snuggled back into CLU's arms. It was hard to tell who looked more smug: child or program.

"I can't believe it, man! I'm outmatched by my own creation!" Flynn groaned in (maybe not so) faked desperation. He pointed an accusing finger at Tron. "You, stop laughing! And CLU - stop corrupting my son!"

End

AN: R&R, please! Feedback keeps me going...


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